Cable receptacle connector

Abstract

A contact assembly includes a signal leadframe including signal contacts each extending between a mating end and a terminating end and a ground leadframe separate and discrete from the signal leadframe including ground contacts each extending between a mating end and a terminating end. Each ground contact includes a central transition section between the mating end and the terminating end and a ground tie bar extending between each of the central transition sections and extending across the signal contacts. The contact assembly includes a front contact holder holding the signal contacts of the signal leadframe and holding the ground contacts of the ground leadframe. The front contact holder surrounds the central transition sections of the ground contacts and electrically isolates the ground tie bar from the signal contacts.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A contact assembly comprising:
 a signal leadframe including a plurality of signal contacts, each signal contact extending between a mating end and a terminating end, the mating end configured to be mated with a mating signal contact, the terminating end configured to be electrically connected to a cable; 
 a ground leadframe separate and discrete from the signal leadframe, the ground leadframe including a plurality of ground contacts, each ground contact extending between a mating end and a terminating end, the mating end configured to be mated with a mating ground contact, the terminating end configured to be electrically connected to a cable, each ground contact including a central transition section between the mating end and the terminating end, the central transition section extending out of plane relative to the signal leadframe, the central transition section being remote from the mating end and being remote from the terminating end, the ground leadframe including a ground tie bar extending between each of the central transition sections to electrically connect each of the ground contacts at each of the central transition sections, the ground tie bar positioned out of plane relative to the signal leadframe with the central transition sections to extend across the signal contacts; and 
 a front contact holder holding the signal contacts of the signal leadframe and holding the ground contacts of the ground leadframe, the front contact holder surrounding the central transition sections of the ground contacts, the front contact holder electrically isolates the ground tie bar from the signal contacts. 
 
     
     
       2. The contact assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the ground tie bar is stamped and formed integral with the ground contacts. 
     
     
       3. The contact assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the central transition sections are approximately centered between the mating ends and the terminating ends of the ground contacts. 
     
     
       4. The contact assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the ground lead frame includes a ground bar extending between the terminating ends of the ground contacts to electrically connect each of the ground contacts, the mating ends of each of the ground contacts including mating tips electrically connected to the mating ground contacts, the mating tips defining front ground interfaces for the ground contacts, the ground bar defining rear ground interfaces for the ground contacts, the ground tie bar being approximately centered between the front ground interfaces and the rear ground interfaces. 
     
     
       5. The contact assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the ground lead frame is internested with the signal lead frame such that the ground contacts are located between pairs of the signal contacts. 
     
     
       6. The contact assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the terminating ends of the signal contacts include solder tabs configured to be soldered to signal conductors of the cables. 
     
     
       7. The contact assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the ground contacts are continuous from the mating ends to the terminating ends through the central transition sections, the ground tie bars being continuous with each of the central transition sections. 
     
     
       8. The contact assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a rear contact holder separate and discrete from the front contact holder, the rear contact holder located rearward of the front contact holder, the rear contact holder being overmolded around the terminating ends of each of the signal contacts and around the terminating ends of each of the ground contacts, the rear contact holder configured to provide strain relief for the cables. 
     
     
       9. A cable receptacle connector comprising:
 a receptacle housing extending between a front and a rear, the receptacle housing having a mating receptacle at the front configured to receive a mating connector, the receptacle housing including a rear cavity at the rear, the receptacle housing including a base wall between the front and the rear having contact channels, the contact channels being open to the mating receptacle; and 
 a contact assembly received in the receptacle housing, the contact assembly including an upper contact sub-assembly and a lower contact sub-assembly coupled to the upper contact sub-assembly, the contact assembly including upper cables electrically connected to the upper contact sub-assembly and lower cables electrically connected to the lower contact sub-assembly; 
 the upper contact sub-assembly comprising an upper signal leadframe, an upper ground leadframe and an upper contact holder, the upper signal leadframe including a plurality of upper signal contacts each extending between a mating end configured to be mated with an upper mating signal contact of the mating connector and a terminating end electrically connected to the corresponding upper cable, the upper ground leadframe including a plurality of upper ground contacts each extending between a mating end configured to be mated with an upper mating ground contact of the mating connector and a terminating end electrically connected to the corresponding upper cable, each upper ground contact including a central transition section approximately centered between the mating end and the terminating end, the central transition section extending out of plane relative to the upper signal leadframe, the upper ground leadframe including an upper ground tie bar extending between each of the central transition sections to electrically connect each of the upper ground contacts, the upper ground tie bar positioned out of plane relative to the upper signal leadframe with the central transition sections to extend across the upper signal contacts, the upper contact holder holding the upper signal contacts and the upper ground contacts, the upper contact holder surrounding the central transition sections of the upper ground contacts and electrically isolating the upper ground tie bar from the upper signal contacts; and 
 the lower contact sub-assembly comprising a lower signal leadframe, a lower ground leadframe and a lower contact holder, the lower signal leadframe including a plurality of lower signal contacts each extending between a mating end configured to be mated with a lower mating signal contact of the mating connector and a terminating end electrically connected to the corresponding lower cable, the lower ground leadframe including a plurality of lower ground contacts each extending between a mating end configured to be mated with a lower mating ground contact of the mating connector and a terminating end electrically connected to the corresponding lower cable, each lower ground contact including a central transition section approximately centered between the mating end and the terminating end, the central transition section extending out of plane relative to the lower signal leadframe, the lower ground leadframe including a lower ground tie bar extending between each of the central transition sections to electrically connect each of the lower ground contacts, the upper ground tie bar positioned out of plane relative to the lower signal leadframe with the central transition sections to extend across the upper signal contacts, the upper contact holder holding the lower signal contacts and the lower ground contacts, the upper contact holder surrounding the central transition sections of the lower ground contacts and electrically isolating the lower ground tie bar from the lower signal contacts; 
 wherein the lower contact holder is coupled to the upper contact holder to position the lower signal contacts and the lower ground contacts relative to the upper signal contacts and the upper ground contacts. 
 
     
     
       10. The cable receptacle connector of  claim 9 , wherein the upper contact holder includes an upper front contact holder and an upper rear contact holder separate and discrete from the upper front contact holder, the upper front contact holder being overmolded around the central transition sections of the upper ground contacts, the upper rear contact holder being overmolded around the terminating ends of the upper signal contacts and the terminating ends of the upper ground contacts, the upper rear contact holder being overmolded around the upper cables, and wherein the lower contact holder includes an lower front contact holder and an lower rear contact holder separate and discrete from the lower front contact holder, the lower front contact holder being overmolded around the central transition sections of the lower ground contacts, the lower rear contact holder being overmolded around the terminating ends of the lower signal contacts and the terminating ends of the lower ground contacts, the lower rear contact holder being overmolded around the lower cables. 
     
     
       11. The cable receptacle connector of  claim 9 , wherein the upper contact holder includes an upper flange engaging the rear of the receptacle housing and the lower contact holder includes a lower flange engaging the rear of the receptacle housing. 
     
     
       12. The cable receptacle connector of  claim 9 , wherein the mating receptacle includes a card slot, the mating ends of the upper signal contacts being located along a top of the card slot and the mating ends of the lower signal contacts being located along a bottom of the card slot. 
     
     
       13. The cable receptacle connector of  claim 9 , further comprising a second contact assembly received in the receptacle housing adjacent the contact assembly. 
     
     
       14. The cable receptacle connector of  claim 9 , wherein the receptacle housing includes a mating feature along a first side of the receptacle housing, the mating feature configured to engage a mating feature of a second receptacle housing. 
     
     
       15. The cable receptacle connector of  claim 9 , wherein the receptacle housing includes a keying feature, the cable receptacle connector further comprising a shroud having a chamber receiving the receptacle housing, the keying feature engaging the shroud to locate the receptacle housing in the chamber of the shroud. 
     
     
       16. The cable receptacle connector of  claim 9 , wherein the upper ground lead frame includes an upper ground bar extending between the terminating ends of the upper ground contacts to electrically connect each of the upper ground contacts, the upper ground tie bar being approximately centered between mating tips of the upper ground contacts and the upper ground bar, wherein the lower ground lead frame includes an lower ground bar extending between the terminating ends of the lower ground contacts to electrically connect each of the lower ground contacts, the lower ground tie bar being approximately centered between mating tips of the lower ground contacts and the lower ground bar. 
     
     
       17. A cable receptacle connector comprising:
 a shroud having a chamber, the shroud extending between a front and a rear, the shroud having a right side and a left side between the front and the rear; 
 a receptacle assembly received in the chamber of the shroud, the receptacle assembly including a right side sub-assembly in the chamber at the right side of the shroud and a left side sub-assembly in the chamber at the left side of the shroud; 
 the right side sub-assembly including a first receptacle housing and a first contact assembly received in the first receptacle housing, the first receptacle housing having a first mating receptacle at a front and a first base wall rearward of the first mating receptacle having first contact channels open to the first mating receptacle, the right side sub-assembly including first cables electrically connected to the first contact assembly, the first contact assembly including a first signal leadframe, a first ground leadframe and a first contact holder coupled to the first signal leadframe and the first ground leadframe, the first signal leadframe including a plurality of first signal contacts each extending between a mating end and a terminating end electrically connected to the corresponding first cable, the first ground leadframe including a plurality of first ground contacts each extending between a mating end and a terminating end, the first ground leadframe including a first ground tie bar extending between each of the first ground contacts, the first ground tie bar positioned out of plane relative to the first signal leadframe to extend across the first signal contacts, the first contact holder holding the first signal contacts and the first ground contacts; and 
 the left side sub-assembly including a second receptacle housing and a second contact assembly received in the second receptacle housing, the second receptacle housing having a second mating receptacle at a front and a second base wall rearward of the second mating receptacle having second contact channels open to the second mating receptacle, the left side sub-assembly including second cables electrically connected to the second contact assembly, the second contact assembly including a second signal leadframe, a second ground leadframe and a second contact holder coupled to the second signal leadframe and the second ground leadframe, the second signal leadframe including a plurality of second signal contacts each extending between a mating end and a terminating end electrically connected to the corresponding second cable, the second ground leadframe including a plurality of second ground contacts each extending between a mating end and a terminating end, the second ground leadframe including a second ground tie bar extending between each of the second ground contacts, the second ground tie bar positioned out of plane relative to the second signal leadframe to extend across the second signal contacts, the second contact holder holding the second signal contacts and the second ground contacts; 
 wherein the first receptacle housing includes an inner end and an outer end opposite the inner end, the outer end including a keying tab extending therefrom configured to engage the right side of the shroud to locate the first receptacle housing in the chamber, and wherein the second receptacle housing includes an inner end and an outer end opposite the inner end, the outer end including a keying tab extending therefrom configured to engage the left side of the shroud to locate the second receptacle housing in the chamber. 
 
     
     
       18. The cable receptacle connector of  claim 17 , wherein each of the first ground contacts includes a first central transition section approximately centered between the mating ends and the terminating ends, the first central transition section extending out of plane relative to the first signal leadframe, the first ground tie bar positioned out of plane relative to the first signal leadframe with the first central transition sections to extend across the signal contacts extending between each of the first central transition sections to electrically connect each of the first ground contacts, the first contact holder encasing the first central transition sections, and wherein each of the second ground contacts includes a second central transition section approximately centered between the mating ends and the terminating ends, the second central transition section extending out of plane relative to the second signal leadframe, the second ground tie bar positioned out of plane relative to the second signal leadframe with the second central transition sections to extend between each of the second central transition sections to electrically connect each of the second ground contacts, the second contact holder encasing the second central transition sections. 
     
     
       19. The cable receptacle connector of  claim 17 , wherein the first receptacle housing includes a first mating feature at the inner end of the first receptacle housing and the second receptacle housing includes a second mating feature at the inner end of the second receptacle housing. 
     
     
       20. The cable receptacle connector of  claim 19 , wherein the first mating feature engages the second mating feature. 
     
     
       21. The cable receptacle connector of  claim 19 , wherein the receptacle assembly further comprises a central subassembly located between the right side subassembly and the left side subassembly, the central subassembly including a third receptacle housing and a third contact assembly, the third receptacle housing including a right side mating feature at a right side of the third receptacle housing engaging the first mating feature, the third receptacle housing including a left side mating feature at a left side of the third receptacle housing engaging the second mating feature. 
     
     
       22. The cable receptacle connector of  claim 17 , wherein the first signal lead frame includes a greater amount of the first signal contacts compared to the second signal contacts of the second signal lead frame. 
     
     
       23. The cable receptacle connector of  claim 17 , wherein the right side subassembly is identical to the left side subassembly, the right side subassembly being inverted 180° relative to the left side subassembly in the chamber.